Machine for locating and topping sugar beets and like root crops



- s 'sheets-shea 1 F. J. MINNs l-:T AL MACHINE FOR LocATNG AND TOPPING SUGAR BEETs AND LIKE RooT cRoPs June 6, 1950 Filed Aug. 2e, 1947 Z'Jzvntos 13A. I? Coup, lill/JCl/azjdale ,Ey M EQ/ June 6, 1950 F. J. MlNNs ETAL 2,510,242

MACHINE FOR LOCATING AND TOPPING SUGAR BEETS AND LIKE RooT cRoPs Filed Aug. 26, 1947 3 sheets-sheet 2 June 6, 1950 F. J. MINNS ETAI. 2,510,242

'MACHINE FOR LOCATING AND TOPPING SUGAR BEETs AND LIKE RooT cRoPs 3 Sheefs-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 26, 1947 Patented `une 6, 195.()

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.-inven'tion :relates to `-l-the locating aand topping iuni't of m'aehines iorltopping, liftin'ga'rid harvesting-'ofdsugar beet, whereby 4'beet arid'fllile root-crops are topped lifted, cleanedand depo'sted 'in rows, and thetoasld-i'sposed .undamaged in uniformrovvs.

Y-Itisianiessentiallrquirment 'in'.thesugailbeet mdustrly that the :erownvoflftne-fbeet, narryin'g the leaves, shall be sheared off square, i.%.'3at right angles to the longitudinal axis ofith'e ibeet. lItis also an essential' requirement that the-"crown 'which is shear'edoisnalbbeiasnshallow `as possible compatible fther removalo'f everyitrace of'ileaf.

The main f objectief lthe present :invention iisfto 'constvuetfa beet locating-*and ftoppingunitwhich will provide for fthe' .topping .irequir'ementseabove referred to inal simpleaandiefective :ma-nner,inotwithstanding the .noneuniformity '.ofisize `and; the 'amount ofaprojection'riabovefthe surface of-the ground, which invariably characterises thegrowth of4 @beet 'in iaield.

fAccording-'to one feature ofthe'finventionthe toppingfunit consistscof al iioating framemamy-- ing a `:combined liindin'g'afand roentering device associated withY cireu-lar ,saws for puttingethe' tops.

:In order-to allow :for the toppingunitvtofrise and tall ff-ree1yf-tlie drivefforf'allthemovingparts `of themachinefisftaken through scissorztypefflinks pivoting about a 'fixed shaft.

rReferring to the'\:accompanyin^gdrawings,

Figure 1 isf-a iront viewof thefmachine, and

Figure 2 5a fside `elevation,partly sin' section;

Figure 4 is a view along the line II-II seen in the direction of -the arrows in Figure 2.

Figure-5 is a -plan viewof part of the :endless sprocket driven chain for gripping -the tops, and

Figure 6 shows a few links of the chain.

The topping "unit comprises aloating frame workl'a lconsisting of a transverse memberfdand fg "i nig oblumns-a2-andfreetomove in"L ltween r1lis-b-fixedonthesehassis o th ehine. -@dans-frameworaarepivetauyEN two g'e'ar.' L'Mixes' ccarry-ing thev driven l Asaws#dununtedon--hollow--spinilles e into y are'-sorewthreaded'rods-e- Which'fare corin'eoted to the *dri-ving* shafts -in the gear '4 boxes TAc. l-111f1e said gear "boxesare'loade'd laterally by springs if, each of which is mounted between the frame a and a nut f on a screw-threaded rod f2, which is pivotally attached to the gear box c and passes through the frame a. A nut f3 and locking nut j* on the rod f2 outside the frame a prevent the safvvs' frommnoving inwardly-morethan is necessary tof-bringzithe lailadesfvfto.ith-'efKnitting` position.

arrangemen llows stoneszetctogpass betweenlllthesaws'iwithoutadamagingttheir Acutting edges.

The `savvs aredocated :side vbyside with their. innermuttingrfedgeszslightlyfoverlappingeone .lar-1'- other., @an-c1` immedatelyhin 1 front of' .them .there is provided a combined undmgand-icenteriug dviceug.V Y

AThepositior'ls l.of thefsawslcanbe adjusted and ixed vertieatlywin rblation .ftothe -isbase :of the centeninglunit Eby idisplacementzcalong fthe .isc-rewthreade'd porltionse" of\1the1aSpind1esf-e. ,-IIlheece'ntering sied-,instabile ,forwards'orfbackwards in ir'elationi to: .they zcuttingfiisaws. Y

...The dnd-ing; and.peritel-.ing` device-consists of twopairs-offsenrated wheels-@the Qentresfof the leading pair h being about fvexinchesqingtront eiland ','about two fincheshigfhen than 'the centres ofwthe trailingpair k. J'Ihefleading parfaie locatediside :byisidewand-.close' together-awhile vthe trailing. pair are locatediside by-side rbutaurther apart. "Ihesleadi-ngffwheels fh re Atreemoving, Whileothe pairi'fk-ar'e drivensin thefsarne direction as, butaster than theperipheral.-speed of, the road wheels by m'eansvof ,a-fsuitablvdise posed= sproeketfandf fohain' driveK m.

@Furtheri theideading pair fh-may be; adjusted to ,varythez'centre distance ib etween Vtheitwo pairs yof:wheelsd pndertoreopgefwth anyvaationfin ther nelativ ,Sizes ofi beet 'cropsiind-iienent fdistricts.

iheidriveiforsall ,thetmovingparts :of :the topf pingIf-unit :is ft'akengrom thi gear-box-gshaftm, by aneansiof'rchains Lisle-3,1 :andsproekets ha, 2a, 3a. -1A'lhevdr-ive" takencthrough tw oascissor'li type osand fpwvhichipivo i aifloatingshaft :7",=;thusf;a1'lowing;ior.fthe' ftpping unitlrising andfsfallingifreely without Lvamiation 'in'.'fdri .'ngzspee'dfandiforza nelativelyacomplieated transfieren@ wfapowe' Vblaeff'ected inria small longitdinalspa'ce. Bower istransmttteditozrthe uttingisaws frbmaftlhaftlsrtltirblrghitheichain drives 3,214 fnd bevell'diivesw andewfnnounted in the pinion boxes c. The nderwheelsa're ydriven' froni thensamashaftstrrrougnflbevelgear 'iandi-chain drivel-m.

The amount of weight necessary to hold the beet in position While being topped may vary with diierent soils. For this purpose the floating frame a is suspended from a xed frame l by adjustable tension springs y attached to rods l' which are fixed across to the frame Z and carry also the guiding rollers b. The springs y can be adjusted to give varying loads on the beet and at the same time accelerate the downward motion of the unit, thereby also increasing the accuracy with which it nds both high and low growing beet.

As the machine is moved along the ground, the leading wheels or iinders h meet each succeeding beet and ride upon its crown, guiding the rear pair of wheels 1c, to the shoulder (i. e. at the top, upon either side of the beet just above the ground where the leaf commences) to locate the height and lateral position of the saws d so that each beet top is uniformly sheared off in respect of depth and squareness of cut. The disposition of these wheels is such as to hold the beet in position in the ground until the saws commence to cut and because the wheels are moving at a greater peripheral speed than the road. wheels, they also tend to force the beet towards the oncoming saws, greatly adding to the accuracy of cut. Maximum :accuracy in locating is obtained by utilising the shoulder of the beet as a location point and by using such a method, the leaves are undamaged and can subsequently be harvested in good condition;

Referring to the means for removing the tops (see also the detail Figures 3 to 6) it comprises a pair of endless belts 5 and 6 arranged to travel in opposite directions in an inclined plane and being independently laterally loaded to allow the distance between them to be automatically adjusted according to the size of the tops, which are discharged on a transversely moving endless belt conveyor, when they reach the summit of the inclined plane.

The belts are of special construction consisting oi' links 'I adapted to be engaged and driven by the sprockets 8, -8 and having secured thereto flaps 9 of impregnated rubber or like yielding material, which as the two'beltsv rotate in the two opposite directions I :and II, gather the cut oi tops with their leaves inV between the two belts and carry them forward.

The belts and their drive are supported on the machine by a framework i2 attached to the machine and another framework I3, I4 the inclination of which is capable of adjustment in order to change the inclination of the endless belts, this being eifected by pivoting around the universal joint I5; after adjustment of the inclination the framework I3, I4 is xed in position by the screw I6 passing through the slot II and engaging in the xed framework I2. The distance of the belts from the circular saws is adapted to be suitably adjusted by removing a link or two from the belts or inserting such links therein and correspondingly displacing the members I8 carrying the sprockets at this end of the belts, by means of adjusting screws I9; after the adjustment, the member I8 is xed in position by the screw 20 passing through the slot 2I and engaging in the framework I3.

The distance between 4the belts 5, 6 is automatically adjusted according to the size of the tops by their being pressed aside against the action of springs 22 (see Figure 4). Referring to this gure, the member I4 of the framework I3, I4 is attached to a plate 23 welded at 24 to collars 24 (see also Figure 2) turning on a, xed axle 25 attached by a web 26 to the frame I2.

The drive of the sprockets 8 is derived from the shaft 39 through the chain .and sprocket 21, bevel gearing 28 and universal joints I5 (see Figure 3).

Referring to Figure 2, A is a conveyer disposed transversely with respect to the machine to receive the tops when they reach the summit of the endless belts 5, 6 and are discharged therefrom. The conveyor consists of a frame 29 on which are mounted sprocket driven endless chains 30 having secured thereto slats 3I arranged to sweep along and od the beet tops dropping on the top of the frame 29 which is provided with a grid of longitudinal rods 32. The conveyor frame is adapted to be displaced transversely Awith respect to the machine according to requirements, for which purpose it is provided with rods or tubes 33 along which it is slid between rollers 34 mounted on members 35, attached to the chassis 36, by which members the whole of the conveyor is suspended from the machine. 37 is the driving gear of the conveyor which is derived through chain and sprocket 38 from lthe shaft n (the connections are not shown).

The details for carrying the invention into effect may be modified without departing from its scope.

We claim:

1. In :a machine for harvesting beet and like root crops in which the cutting of the beet and the like is effected by means of circular saws, a oating topping unit, the said topping unit comprising in combination with the circular saws a locating devi-ce mounted above and in front of the circular saws and consisting of two pairs of wheels one pair arranged in front of and higher than the other pair and the first pair lying between the two wheels of the other pair, whereby upon the front and higher pair of wheels locating the top of the beet or the like the other rear and lower pair of wheels will ride over the shoulder of the beet or the like thereby determining the cutting position of the circular saws.

2. In a machine for harvesting beet and like root crops in which the cutting of the beet and the like is effected by means of circular saws, a topping unit as claimed in claim 1 comprising driving means for the rear and lower pair of -wheels of the loc-ating device, the other front and higher pair being free moving.

FREDERICK JOHN MINNS. STANLEY ALBERT FRANK COURT. NORMAN ELLYARD LANGDALE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 696,262 Palmer Mar. 25, 1902 709,720 Palmer Sept. 23, 1902 1,076,363 Harrison Oct. 21, 1913 1,225,841 Meek May 15, 1917 1,646,680 Bright Oct. 25, 1927 2,314,681 Beatty Mar. 23, 1943 2,337,698 Walz Dec. 28, 1943 2,433,799 Walz et al Dec. 30, 1947 

